Students’ nicknames: Their sources and effects on learning

Abstract

There seems to be no end in sight for the practice of nicknaming amongst students. To address the nicknaming practice, it requires a better appreciation and understanding of the practice and its effects on the nicknamers.  This study set out to fulfil this agenda. The study adopted descriptive survey design and used senior high school students as subjects. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather data for the study. The practice of nicknaming is still popular in the post modern world. Results of the study show a high prevalence (77.2%) of the practice among students with boys leading the practice. A disproportionate chunk of the male students (88.5%) had nicknames.  It also emerged that negative nicknames have some psychological effects on the bearers which consequently discouraged them from active participation in class. There is, therefore, no gain saying that instructors ought to discourage students from this practice as it has the tendency to suppress and stifle students’ participation in academic work. The implications of this development, certainly, are far-reaching and that educators’ continuous entertainment of this practice is an indictment on their professionalism.

Keywords: Nicknames, sources, gender difference, effects, active participation, professionalism.